


Everything Changed

by The_DoctorSimba



Series: Spring ColdFlash Week 2019 [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Death Fix, ColdFlash Week 2019, Coldflash Bingo 2019, Eddie Thawne Lives, Everyone Is Alive, Fix-It, HR Wells Lives, Leonard Snart Lives, Leonard Snart Needs a Hug, M/M, Minor Eddie Thawne/Iris West, The Flash (TV 2014) Season 3, cfspring2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 20:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18557359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_DoctorSimba/pseuds/The_DoctorSimba
Summary: Len comes back from the Oculus and saving the world to find Barry trying to get drunk in a bar after he changed everything. Eddie is alive so Iris won't talk to him since she fighting with Joe. Dante is dead so Cisco won't talk to him. And there's a new guy at work that is making his life miserable. Len offers, forces, Barry to stay with him because Barry cannot keep staying at the Labs, it isn't healthy. Things go from there until Savitar no longer targets Iris.ColdFlash Week Day 1. Fix-itColdFlash Bingo Bar AU





	Everything Changed

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm a day late but I just finished it so we're going to pretend it's still Sunday and not 3 am Monday. Also, this isn't really Iris friendly. I didn't tag it as such because I don't go overboard with the dislike but just be warned going in.

There was something all around soothing being back in Central. Maybe almost dying had made him sentimental, he would deny it, but Len enjoyed being back in the city. He’d been stuck in a time loop when he destroyed the Oculus, keeping him not quite alive but definitely not dead. 

Then there had been a shift, a ripple, he wasn’t sure what it was all he knew was the loop had slow down, but he hadn’t. Only for a few seconds but it was enough. He shoved the button as hard as he could and ran. Just as he made it out of the doors he saw the Waverider. 

He sprinted and barely made it, only to collapse right in the entrance way. He’ll never forget Gideon’s voice as she said, “Welcome, Mr. Snart, it’s good to see you made it this time.”

After that they defeated Savage and while Mick stayed on the ship, at Len’s urging, Len himself wanted to take a break. They all understood. 

Lisa had punched him in the face then they’d had a movie night. Len understood she needed to work out her anger, on his face apparently, but they were both just glad to be back in each other’s lives. He was certain Lisa was the only one that knew he was back.

None of the Rogues were alerted, Lisa had kept them in line, and he’d yet to come across Team Flash. He was okay staying dead for a little while longer. He really needed a vacation. 

Which is why only a week later he was surprised to find Barry Allen at Saints and Sinners. He was drinking like a fish, looking miserable.

Len slid in the chair next to him. “Hey Scarlet,” he drawled. 

“Snart?” Barry yelped, jerking in his chair. 

“In the flesh,” he said indicating to himself. 

“I guess I changed a lot,” he muttered. 

Len wasn’t sure he was meant to hear it but he did. “What did you change.” 

“Nothin’. Or you’ll be mad at me too.” Barry’s head thunked off the bar. “Everything is fine.”

“Okay, you’re drunk. Let’s get you home.” Len pulled Barry back to a sitting position and waved the bartender for the check. 

“Can’t.” 

“What do you mean can’t?” Len glanced at him. 

“Nowhere to go. Joe and Iris are fighting and Eddie’s back so Iris won’t love me and I’ve got no apartment and Cisco hates me and Caitlin made me this new formula but it’s still not the best because I can’t get wasted.” He attempted to put his head back down but Len kept him upright. 

“The only thing I got from that was you don’t have a place to stay and you can’t get as drunk as you would like,” Len summarize. “So you can come home with me and crash there until you can find a place and then we can talk about everything else. You need to sleep. It looks like you haven’t slept in days.”

And if Len had to guess he would probably put money on that. The kid’s support team seemed to be fractured. And while Len knew Barry was strong enough to do this on his own he also knew he didn’t want to.

“I can’t. I can’t go home with you,” Barry squeaked. 

Len put his card down and paid for Barry’s drinks. “Sure you can. Didn’t you hear? I’m a bona fide hero now. I saved the world and everything.” Len took note of the fact Barry looked away when he said that. He didn’t know why but he would bet it had something to do with that whole change the kid was talking about. 

“Knew there was good in you,” Barry muttered. Now he allowed Len to pull him from the stool. He wobbled a bit but Len kept ahold of him as they made it out to his bike. 

“I know it’s probably not as fast as you’re used to but it’s all I got,” Len said and his handed Barry a helmet. 

Barry chuckled but put it on and got on the back. It was a quick drive and Len tried to ignore the way Barry held on tightly and nearly nuzzled into him as much as the helmet allowed.

When they arrived Barry was looking a bit better. He handed Len the helmet and glanced around nervously. 

“Seriously Snart, I can just stay at STAR Labs again. It’s no big deal,” Barry said. He was clearer now but Len shook his head and grabbed Barry’s wrist.

“First off, we’re here, it’s pointless for you to run off.” Len started tugging him into the apartment building. He was on the fourth and top floor but he didn’t trust the elevator. “Second isn’t Star Labs a lab? As in not made for sleeping?” 

Barry allowed himself to be pulled up the steps, feet nearly dragging. “I mean, there are cots and a comfy couch.” Barry gave a halfhearted shrug. 

“Those are not long term. You need to sleep in a proper bed to sleep on. Does that place have a kitchen?” Len demanded.

“There are take-out places that deliver,” Barry mumbled. 

Len stopped dead on the stairs and turned to look at Barry, to really look at him. The kid’s normally poofy hair was flatter, like it hadn’t been washed in a day or two. There were bags under his eyes and before he looked away his normally bright green eyes were duller. Even the wrist Len was gripping seemed thinner. How had Barry’s friends not noticed this?

“You’re staying here.” Was all Len said and continued up to his room. He unlocked the door and pulled Barry in before locking it back. It was a modest one bedroom one bath with little touches of home. Lisa made sure the rent stayed current, it was one of his favorite apartments to lay low in, but he was debating getting a house now that he was going to stay. 

Barry shifted on his feet as he looked around. He opened his mouth to say something but Len glared at him and he closed it. 

“You can sleep in the bed. I’ll take the couch. And in the morning you are going to walk me through this whole change thing,” Len said letting his wrist go and heading to the kitchen. He got out the supplies for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

“I can’t – I can’t take your bed!” Barry sputtered. He kept looking between the bedroom and Len in the kitchen. “I can’t do this, nope, I’m out, thanks but no thanks.” Barry turned towards the door. 

“Barry enough!” Len snapped. Barry froze, hand almost on the door handle. “You are not taking care of yourself,” he began in a softer voice. “And while I know you may think you are fine you are not. I don’t care if you’re friends are mad at you or whatever,” he lied, but he could deal with that later. “You and I have a deal. No one dies on my watch. Now, since you are here, in my home,” he emphasized the word, “if I let you go out like this and you got hurt or killed that’s on me. And without being in tip-top shape you’re not holding up your end of the bargain either. So you are going to sleep in an actual bed and eat a normal meal and you are going to stop being an idiot. Are we clear?” 

Barry clenched his fists and whirled around on him. “Why do you care?” he demanded. “You’re my enemy! You save the world one time and that changes your whole world view? Is that it? I’ve saved the world plenty of times! You don’t get to come in here telling me what I can and can’t do. I won’t be looked down on by someone like you!” Barry snarled the words before he could even think about what he was saying. 

Len’s eyes regarded him coolly. “I think dying changes your world view,” he said simply. He put the sandwich on a plate and ignored Barry’s eyes widening. He grabbed Barry by the arm and half pulled him into the bedroom. Len shoved the plate into Barry’s hands. “Good night.” He didn’t wait for a reply. He slammed the door shut on his way out. 

It wasn’t like Barry was trapped in his room, not like Len had locked the door. But Barry didn’t come out as Len made the couch. It was a pull-out couch, not the best but certainly not the worst thing he could sleep on. He kept the tv on a low hum as he drifted off to sleep. 

When Len woke up in the morning he wasn’t sure if Barry was still there but he was going to make breakfast like he was just in case. Not ten minutes later Barry stumbled out of the bedroom in nothing but his boxers. Len quickly turned around to make him a plate and not stare.

“Snart about last night,” Barry began. 

“Sit.” He set a plate at the small table. “You were angry. I get that. Don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, I was angry but not at you!” Barry did sit even as he spoke. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine kid, explain this whole change thing and we’ll call it even.”

Barry sighed but he did. He explained how when Zoom killed his dad, and he finally beat Zoom he went back in time. And it was great until it wasn’t. And then Thawne had to kill Barry’s mother again to set the timeline right. Len was glad he was more familiar with the time travel thing now, or he would’ve been so lost. 

But when Barry got back the timeline was slightly different. Like the fact, Eddie Thawne was back and had never died. This, apparently, meant that Iris was still in love with him and therefore not in love with Barry. Len refrained from rolling his eyes. But then Barry explained how Joe had been lying about Iris’s mother, and that Iris had a brother and the two weren’t talking. So to not take sides Barry moved out, without really a place to go. 

He had been hoping to stay with Cisco but because of the change to the timeline Cisco’s brother had died and he wanted nothing to do with Barry. So Barry had been staying at the labs. Or really late at work where there was a new guy that was a prick that wasn’t there before. 

Len listened quietly throughout the whole thing, nodding along and doing his best to keep up. He knew Barry didn’t need a team but he knew the kid wanted a team and liked having them. They would work it out eventually but until they did Len vowed to himself to be support in the field if Barry needed it. 

“Well, at least one good thing came from your change,” he said with a smirk. “Me, I was stuck in a time loop, blew myself up to save the world and all that jazz. Your little changed caused a hiccup in the loop that allowed me to get out.” Len made up another plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and hash browns for the speedster then a small plate for himself. 

“Seriously?” Barry stopped with a bite midway to his mouth. 

Len nodded. “Yep, but that’s all behind us. I’m here, I’m alive, and so are you.” Len did his best not to let his eyes roam Barry’s chest. It was easier when he was making breakfast to avoid looking at him. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Barry said quietly. 

They finished the meal in comfortable silence. Len got out to do the dishes and Barry stood there awkwardly. “Just spit it out, kid.”

“Thank you,” Barry yelped. “Seriously, thank you for everything. But I’ve got to get back.” He flashed out and in a moment he was back in his clothes in the kitchen. He held out the plate from last night. 

Len took it with a nod. “You’re welcome. And you’re welcome to come and sleep here. I’m not saying you’ll always get the big bed but the pullout isn’t the worst,” he said. “You know where I’m at and I’m gonna be laying low for a while.” Len dried his hands and grabbed a pen and napkin. 

“This is my number. If you need me shoot me a text or give me a call. I’m sure your friends,” Len drawled the word, “have your back but just in case.” He pushed the napkin over the Barry. 

Barry looked at it in shock for a moment before gently taking it. “Thank you.” He took a breath. “Thank you for everything.” 

Len nodded and with that Barry was gone.

Len wasn’t sure if Barry would actually take him up on his deal but he didn’t regret offering it. He finished cleaning and went about his day.

It was a few weeks later, he hadn’t seen Barry in person just on the news when a knock on his door drew him from the book he was reading. Mick was really improving. But he sat it to the side to reveal none other than Barry Allen. 

“Does the name Sam Scudder mean anything to you?” Barry said instead of a greeting. He stepped in and Len rolled his eyes and shut the door. 

“No, please, come on in,” he drawled sarcastically. “As for the name vaguely, why?”

“Apparently he’s part of your old crew and wants revenge,” Barry said starting to pace. 

“That shouldn’t be possible,” Len mused. When Barry gave him a look he continued. “When you’re out, you’re out. I would’ve ended him if he wanted out.” 

“That’s terrible,” Barry said and went back to pacing. “But he’s a Meta now so that may have something to do with it.”

“Gotcha. Well, I’ll keep my eye out and let you know if I see him.” Len opened the door again. But Barry just stared at it. Len sighed and shut it. “What is it?”

“So, um, things are better, not like great but Iris and Joe are talking again but I was wondering if I could stay here tonight? You know, just in case? You’ve got a crazy Meta after you and all that,” Barry said distinctly not looking at him.

Len relaxed and let a smile grace his face. “Yes, Barry, you can stay here.” 

Barry lit up like it was Christmas morning. “Thanks.” He was gone and back again with a bag in seconds. 

“Have you managed to find a place to stay?” Len asked. Barry was looking a bit better at least. 

“Um, kinda? I moved back in with Joe, and it’s great and all, but I was on my own and now being back it’s,” Barry searched for the right word.

“Stifling? Suffocating? A lot to deal with again?” Len offered. 

That got a laugh from Barry and, oh, Len could get used to hearing that. “Yeah, all of that.”

“Well, the offer is open, you can stay here, I’m in the process of buying a house so I’ll have more rooms in the next week or so, you can stay with me until you find your own place,” Len offered. 

The house had plenty of rooms. Len had enough money that he splurged a little on his forever home. It had two floors and an attic and basement. The second floor had three rooms and the attic was basically its own apartment. 

“I couldn’t impose,” Barry started but Len held up his hand.

“How about I charge you rent so you’re not imposing?” Len offered and got another laugh from Barry. 

“Deal.”

Three days later Len wasn’t in such a cheerful mood. He was tied to a chair in a warehouse. Apparently, Scudder had gotten word of the new house and set a trap for him. After roughing Len up a bit the man was now monologuing about how he was going to be the King of Central City once Len was out of the way or something to that effect. Len stopped listening less than five minutes in.

Scudder smacked him. “I said do you understand?” 

Len rolled his head with the smack then rolled it back. “Gonna be real honest with you. Wasn’t listening,” Len drawled.

“I said, I’m gonna end you and take over Central City,” Scudder growled. 

“Then why am I still breathing?” Len said with a roll of his eyes. “Because you know how it goes.”

“When you’re out, you’re out.” Scudder pulled out a gun and pointed it in Len’s face. 

“Snart!” Both Len and Scudder looked to the sound of the voice. 

Barry stood there in his Flash outfit. “Flash, how nice of you to join us,” Top said from the corner. She stared at him and Len would bet she was using her powers. 

“Nope!” a female speedster shouted and ran to Top. She didn’t have a moment to spare before the speedster punched her in the face. 

“Rosa!” Scudder shouted. The gun went off and Len had a split second to think he was dead with his eyes shut tightly. 

“Faster than a speeding bullet,” Barry muttered. He was holding the bullet barely an inch from Len’s forehead. 

Scudder fired again and again and again. Barry caught each of them. Scudder dropped through the floor but he was caught by the scruff by the female speedster. “Mirrored floor. You told me to look at all the surroundings.” 

Barry just grinned. “We got them. And Snart is alive.” Barry undid his bonds. “What, no Joe, this definitely wasn’t his fault he’s tied to a chair.”

“Thanks, Flash. I’ll see you around,” Len drawled rubbing his wrists. If Barry was calling him Snart then that meant they were nothing more than reluctant allies sometimes. Joe West seemed to want to find some fault in him for this and Len didn’t really want to deal with it. He left before the other heroes or the police could show up. 

Len went home that night, expecting it to be empty. He’d had a few drinks at Saints and Sinners after the whole ordeal and it was nearly midnight when he’d walked through the doors. Okay, so maybe he’d had more than a few drinks because he was seeing Barry in the living room and he was pretty sure he hadn’t given him a key yet. He was grateful he didn’t let Lisa walk him in. 

“Leonard, you’re back,” Barry said hopping up from the couch.

“How did you get in?” Len looked from the key in his hand to the door back to Barry.

“Oh, right, yeah, sorry, I can vibrate through things. You haven’t given me a key yet. I was worried. You just kinda ran off after being kidnapped and tortured,” Barry said coming over to him. “I wanted to see how you were.” 

Len looked at him intently. “Peachy.” Then he moved to go back out and up the stairs.

Barry grabbed his arm and Len looked between Barry’s hand and face and settled on his face. “You always say that when you’re not. Talk to me. Lord knows you’ve listened to me rant enough.”

“It’s nothing Barry. I wasn’t injured and you had those two to worry about. I wasn’t gonna stick around for West to say I planned the whole thing as a trap,” he said rolling his eyes.

Barry dropped his eyes and his hand. “I wouldn’t have let them arrest you,” he said quietly. 

“Sure,” Len turned back to the steps. “I’ll believe that when they know we’re roommates.”

“I’ll tell them,” Barry said quickly. “Things are getting back on even footing, kinda. I will tell them. You’re not a villain anymore. It’ll be fine.”

“Right, I’m sure West won’t put you under house arrest at his house. Your key’s in the kitchen. I’m too tired to deal with this,” Len said brushing him off. 

“Okay, night Leonard,” Barry said, still standing back from him. 

“Call me Len, Scarlet,” Len sighed, stopping on the stairs. “G’night.” 

“Night Len.”

After that Len sees Barry’s stuff moved in. He doesn’t see much of Barry himself in between his job and gig as the Flash but when he does he tells Len that the team is working together again. Joe did offer him a place to live again but he said he’d already found a place. Len doesn’t ask if he’s mentioned and Barry doesn’t offer. 

Len settles into a sort of normalcy. He hasn’t pulled any jobs and Barry hasn’t asked him onto the field but it’s not bad. He’s not itching for a fix yet.

Then there is an alien invasion. Because of course there is. Barry does ask him for help on this one and it’s good to see all the Legends again. Sara offers him a spot on the Waverider again and Len is sorely tempted to take it. But he declines, and they defeat the aliens that were after the Flash. And Barry’s apparently not trustworthy, Len doesn’t believe that and the way the others turn on him turn his stomach a bit but he ends up saving the day and because it’s Barry all is forgiven.

Len did not expect to find Barry crying in his room weeks later and he was not prepared. Through tears and sobs, Len learned that Barry learned Iris was going to die. Len didn’t focus too much on how Barry got to the future without a timeship, he could revisit that later, but more on what Barry knew. Which was not a lot. Eddie had been furious and Barry had stayed as long as he could before running off. He relayed all the details to Len and Len vowed to help him figure this out. He went to sleep with an exhausted Barry in his arms that night.

And time went on. Barry kept Len updated on what was going on and Len kept him updated on what he could which was, admittedly, not a lot. Savitar, the god of speed, was mentioned sparsely throughout history and when he was mentioned not a lot of information was given on him. 

Barry did tell him about Kara coming back through and a weird dream they shared. 

“Weird how?” Len asked. He was making dinner for them that night, Barry was in early enough to actually eat it.

“Aside from the musical numbers?” Barry asked with a laugh. “Well, Mon-El was Kara’s love interest and Iris was mine, even though we’re not together,” he began.

“Do you still love her?” Len asked. He was almost dreading the answer for a reason he didn’t want to think about.

“I don’t really know. She’s with Eddie and they’re happy and I’m not going to come in between that. They’re engaged now you know?” Barry said. There was a sad sort of wistfulness in his voice. 

“Mazel tov,” Len said dryly.

“Thanks, but seriously, that was weird but given our, um, history, not that weird. What was weird was at the end I got shot, I was dying.” Len chopped the onion with a bit more force than necessary when he said that. “But Iris ran out to me, and you, you were there too. I mean you had always been there, you worked for Malcolm or that world’s version of Malcolm, but you ran up but stopped when you saw Iris. I don’t know, and it’s probably nothing, but I kissed Iris to come back but I couldn’t stop looking at you.” 

“Yeah,” Len said, his throat felt drier. “That is weird.” 

Barry just laughed. “See I told you.” Then he went on to explain some more ideas they had, but Len couldn’t get that out of his mind.

Len walked into Jitters to see Barry and Iris together. This wasn’t exactly a big surprise considering he’d said they were going to be trying something out today. What was odd was when Iris narrowed her eyes at him and Barry turned around, completely overlooking him. His expression went from confused to angry when Iris said something and Barry whipped around once again, this time staring at him while Iris laughed. 

Len strolled right up to them. Iris stopped giggling and leveled him with a cool glare. “Snart.”

“West.” Then he turned his attention to Barry. “Did your plan work?” 

“What plan, Snart?” Barry asked in a mocking voice that had Iris giggling again. 

“What did you do to him?” Len turned on Iris in a flash.

“Well, that plan didn’t exactly go as planned so I just told Barry that you guys didn’t get along, that you’re a bully and he doesn’t like bullies,” Iris scoffed. 

“Hi, I go by Bart,” Barry said with a dopey smile. 

“How about I just stick with Scarlet?” Len drawled focusing once again on Barry. He would deal with West and the gang later. He was nearly positive they erased Barry’s memory so Savitar wouldn’t know their plans. It was stupid and reckless and now the city was without the Flash. 

“Why would you call me that?” Barry, Bart, asked. He exchanged a puzzled look with Iris.

Len kept his attention by cupping his cheek and gently forcing Barry to look at him. “Maybe because you blush so pretty,” Len purred. 

And, yup, Barry was blushing so Len would take that as a win. “I’ll see you later Scarlet.” He threw a wave over his shoulder at the two and left without getting his coffee, he could get it later. 

Just when he thought he was home free he heard. “What the hell Snart?” from Iris herself.

“What can I do for you West?” he drawled in a very ‘Captain Cold’ way. 

Iris did not look amused. “What was that? Back there.” She grabbed his arm as if she was going to stop him from leaving, much like Barry had, but this time Len casually freed his arm instead of letting Iris drop it. 

“I was going to get a coffee, decided against it.” 

“With Barry. He doesn’t have his memories, all you’re going to do is confuse him,” Iris said, confirming his theory. 

“I’m going to confuse him?” Len’s eyes were set hard on her. “What about you? You’ve done nothing for him after you found out he changed the timeline.”

“How did you?” But Len didn’t give her the chance to finish.

“I saw you acting all flirty with Barry in there, when you have a fiancé you’ll go home to tonight, nice ring by the way. What happens if Barry doesn’t get his memories back? Are you just going to leave the people outside of you’re little Team Flash hanging? You haven’t been hanging out with Barry for months now, he does have other friends. What about where he’s staying? Or his mail? No, you didn’t think about any of that did you?” Len didn’t mean to get so heated but he did, nearly growling that in Iris’s face.

“Why do you care so much about it?” Iris asked quietly.

Oh shit, he’d messed up. “Ask Bart when he’s Barry again,” was all he said. He hurried off, not wanting to hear her reply. 

If was the next day when Barry flashed into the living room. “What the fuck Len?” he demanded. 

“Glad to see you’re back,” Len said without putting the book down. 

“Why would you say those things to Iris? You know she confronted me in front of everyone?” Barry scoffed.

“Sounds horrible,” Len drawled flipping the page. 

The book was hitting the wall before Len even registered it was out of his hands. “Answer me.” 

Len stood up. “Fine Barry, you wanna talk, let’s talk. Why did I say those things to Iris? Maybe because I made a safe bet they didn’t know how to fix it. Maybe because it needed to be said and you weren’t going to say it anytime soon. Maybe because I’m not actually a villain anymore and yet everyone still treats me as if I’m lower than dirt!” He was in Barry’s face now. 

Barry refused to take a step back. But he didn’t defend or refute it.

“How many of them even knew I was gone, let alone had to come back?” Len asked in a quiet voice. “How many of them know where you were staying while they tried to come to terms with you changing the timeline? Do you know how many times I had plans with Lisa and then cancelled because you showed up needed to vent, or needing a place to stay? Lisa knows where you were, do your ‘friends?’” he sneered the word.

“What about now? How many of them know where you are currently living? I know you have a PO Box so I’ll bet you money that none of them know. And given Iris’s reaction today none of them know who your roommate is. But I know all about how you’ve been feeling, I know where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing because no one else will listen to. I thought maybe we were at the very least friends. But, fine Barry, you want it to be that way it can be. I didn’t say anything about it. But if that the case then we’re housemates and nothing else.” 

Len brushed passed him to grab his book, luckily he knew what page he was on. When he brushed passed Barry again Barry grabbed his arm. “Len.” 

“Don’t,” Len snarled. He needed to cool off. Hopefully, Barry was smart enough to see that. And he appeared to be since he dropped Len’s arm like he’d been burned. 

Tomorrow, they could work this out tomorrow. Len just needed some space. He left, leaving Barry in the living room. He would stay at one of the safehouses. If Barry wanted to find him he could but Len just needed time to chill. 

It was three days later when he came home to a darkened house. It was late so it wouldn’t surprise him if Barry was already in bed. Or it wouldn’t have if he didn’t smell what was probably dinner still out. He went to the dining room where the lights were still out. 

Barry was standing in front of the big window in the back, silhouetted from the moon. Len saw the small but classy meal on the table. “What’s this?” he asked carefully.

“An apology, for how I acted and how I treated you,” Barry said. He spoke calmly, carefully. All the alarm bells in Len’s head were going off at this moment. 

“Why don’t you come and join me for dinner then?” Len offered. 

‘Barry’ still had his back to Len, and Len tried to discreetly draw the cold gun. “But I made it for you.” 

“I said, come join me,” Len said holding the gun up and turning on the light.

Within a moment he was pinned to the wall, cold gun out of his hands, and he was looking into the very scarred face of Barry Allen, the very face of Savitar. Len did his best not to react. Savitar grinned. “I see I’ve been mentioned, Lenny.”

“Once or twice. Never gave me a reason why you’d come visit me though,” Len said. Savitar has him pinned by the shoulder and the wrist.

“Do you know how I came to be?” Savitar asked him.

“Barry hasn’t shared that with me, so no,” Len drawled. 

Savitar smirked in a way that didn’t seem very Barry-like. “I killed Iris West, I always kill Iris West. And Barry will go back in time and he’ll keep going back and he’ll keep failing.” Savitar pushed his thumb into Len’s collar bone.

Len hissed in pain. “What’s that have to do with me?” he growled. 

“Well, you see, every time I kill Iris it’s because Barry loves her more than anything. But this time, things are different. Eddie was still dead, you were dead, and Iris and Barry were well on their way to being married,” Savitar explained. “And even with Eddie back that could be worked around. When he was alive before Barry and Iris still ended up together. But then you showed up.”

He squeezed Len’s collar bone again and forced him to his knees. Len grit his teeth but went to his knees. “You showed up and gave Barry hope he didn’t have before. Normally, usually, in all the other timelines Barry would get desperate enough and go and talk to Iris and get her back. But you, you made it so he didn’t need to go crawling back to her.”

“Then how are you still here?” Len growled even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer to that.

“I had to find something else Barry cares about. A pet project he’s been working on for years, getting this person to admit they were indeed a good person, a hero. And look at that, you finally did,” Savitar purred. His free hand gripped Len’s chin forcing him to look up.

“You’re wrong.” Len jerked his head but Savitar’s fingers were too strong. “Barry and I fought, killing me wouldn’t get the reaction you want.” 

“Oh yes, I know all about your little fight. All about you admitting you care about Barry, maybe not in so many words but you definitely opened his eyes to it. And it certainly opened his eyes to his own feelings. And now I have my beginning. Not quite the same as Iris West but certainly satisfying.” Savitar still had the smirk on his face. 

“New memories are always the freshest. And I know what he’s going to do, what you’re going to do to him.” He shuddered. “I’m getting hard just thinking about it.” 

Len’s eyes grew wide. He was kneeling at the evil speedster’s dick, not somewhere he wanted to be when he talked like that. “Now you’re telling me all this and I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.” 

“Oh, Lenny, Lenny, Lenny,” Savitar chided. “There are some things that are destined to happen, and my beginning is something that is destined to happen. Barry might not love you at the moment but he will, no matter what you’ll do.” 

“I won’t tell him,” Len growled. 

“You won’t have to.” Savitar leaned down and kissed him roughly. Len tried to jerk away but Savitar held him tight. He forced his tongue into Len’s mouth, but before Len could bite him he pulled back. “If you don’t tell him he’ll regret. I’ll see you soon Lenny.” And he was gone. 

Len needed a drink. He wrote himself a note first, just in case. Then because he didn’t want to go out so he raided his liquor cabinet and got out his good stuff. He had a glass, then another, then another, and so on. He knew he should stop but he didn’t want to. The front door opened and Len was mostly done with the bottle. 

“Len? Your back!” Barry’s face lit up. “What’s this?” He indicated to the food on the table. 

“Not important,” Len hummed. He was sitting at the bar. He was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to stand. 

“Did you make dinner? I’m sorry I was running late, and I’m sorry about the fight. You were right, I haven’t been honest with my friends or with you. And you deserve better, once we beat Savitar I’ll explain everything to them. You won’t get dirty looks from them or anything when you come around,” Barry assured him.

“Why would I come around, Scarlet?” Len purred. He sat his drink to the side, on the letter. 

“Because, and I’ll repeat this when you’re sober so you don’t think it was just me talking hoping you wouldn’t remember it. But you’re right. You’ve been by my side since you, well, really since we got back. And I haven’t been grateful at all really. But I want to change that. Len, I would like you to be my boyfriend, or uh, that sounds childish, my partner? But like an actual partner not like a partner in crime like you and Mick. I mean, actually, we can label it later. But I want to be with you,” Barry finished his ramble. 

Len knew he should say no, knew he should’ve told Barry about Savitar in the house early that evening and they should be thinking up a plan to stop him. But instead, Len got up on shaky legs and threw his arms around Barry. He kissed the speedster sloppily. 

Barry made a muffled noise of surprise but kissed back for a few moments. He was delicate and tasted like a storm. Len could get lost in him, but Barry pulled back with a laugh. “You’ve had a lot to drink, let’s get you to bed and we can discuss this in the morning.” 

Barry carried him to his own room. “There’s a letter to HR about his book downstairs, will you make sure he gets it for me tomorrow?” Len asked as Barry whirl-winded around him. 

“You read his book?” Barry asked with a smile. 

“I like romance,” was all Len could say. 

“I’ll remember that,” Barry chuckled. “Night Len.”

“G’night Barry.” 

The next morning Barry was gone. He knew this was the day, the day Savitar was supposed to kill Iris, the day Savitar was going to kill him now. Barry texted him and told him he had to run and make sure things were set up and he gave the letter to HR. He responded then the front door burst in.

“Hello Captain,” the chilling voice of Killer Frost cooed. 

“Hey Frosty, time for me to die?” he asked turning to face her. 

“You got it, don’t be difficult now,” she purred. 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he walked over to her calmly. She grinned and took him. 

That night Len was in front of Savitar. “Barry!” Len shouted. 

“Leonard!” Barry shouted and he launched forward. 

A few things happened at once. Barry flashed forward as fast as he could, Savitar raised his claws to strike Len down, and a blast of white-blue light hit Savitar in the back. Instead of stabbing him in the stomach, it hit him in the shoulder. 

Len grunted in pain but he was alive. Barry pushed Savitar off. They were off before anyone could blink. HR ran over to him. “It worked! You’re still stabbed but it worked!” HR shouted. He was still wielding the cold gun. 

“What the hell Snart? What was that?” Joe West said coming from the roof. 

“I guess when they couldn’t find your daughter he grabbed any ally he could,” Len lied. He wasn’t going to give Barry up, not when he finally had a chance with him. 

“Let’s get your shoulder patched up there Cold,” HR said, cheerful as ever. Tracy rushed over with a first aid kit. 

After he was patched up and back at the lab everyone was quiet. HR and Tracy were talking off to the side. Joe and Iris and Eddie were reunited and Len was on the medical cot, away from all of them. Len didn’t know how it was before Barry came back with Julien and Killer Frost. 

Joe immediately drew his gun. “Whoa! Hey! She helped take down Savitar. She’s cool!” Barry said stepping in front of her. Julien did the same. 

“She slowed down Savitar, I was forced to shoot him but we couldn’t have done this without her,” Julien said.

“I’m not Killer Frost. I mean, I’m not totally Caitlin either but I don’t want to murder anyone,” Caitlin said. Her hair was still white but her eyes were brown. 

“Well,” Len said breaking the silence. “This is all just peachy but there are too many feelings for my tastes.” He hopped off the cot and winced. “Glad no one important died, call me if you need help taking down another big bad.” He started walking towards the exit.

But Barry said, “Len wait,” at the same time Caitlin said, “Leonard.” They looked at each other then back to him. 

“Barry, don’t,” Len said but he did stop moving. 

“Bear, what’s going on?” Iris said. She hadn’t so much as cast a glance in Len’s direction this whole time.

Barry took a breath and went over to him. “I haven’t been honest with you guys. Since I’ve moved out of Joe’s I wasn’t in a good place. I didn’t have a place to stay so I was staying at the here. Then Len found me trying to get drunk and offered me a place to stay. I was staying on his couch for a while.”

Immediately the protests started up. 

Iris, “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

Joe, “Barry what the hell were you thinking?”

Eddie, “You could’ve stayed with us.” 

Cisco, Caitlin, and Julien stayed noticeably quiet. HR looked like he wanted to say something but he didn’t. 

“Enough!” Barry cut through the voices. “When Len got taken by Scudder is was from his new house. Len offered me a bedroom in it. So I moved in. Since then Len has listened to me complain and vent and praise you guys. Offering nothing but support. And I wouldn’t tell you guys. Every time I brought it up you guys turned your noses up at the idea. Even after he helped with the Dominators. Even after you heard all the Legends praise him, you still looked down on him. So I didn’t say anything.” Barry shook his head. 

“Then when Iris confronted me about it I panicked. Made up some lie about him helping me with research on the side. And even then you all said it was a bad idea and he was using me or going to show his true colors. Well, guess what he didn’t! He got taken by Savitar because I was an idiot and didn’t realize that I don’t love Iris. I mean I do, you’re my sister,” Barry said quickly.

“Barry, are you saying you love Snart?” Joe asked carefully. 

“I-I don’t know. All I know is Savitar thought he could get me to go back in time to try and save Len,” Barry admitted. 

“Because he couldn’t find Iris!” Joe shouted. He was getting angrier.

“That’s not true,” Caitlin said surprising them. “He visited Leonard last night and told him things had changed.” 

“What?” everyone said turning towards Len. 

“You weren’t supposed to say that,” he muttered. She just shrugged. 

Barry’s face hardened. “There, you see, Savitar saw what I didn’t. So I’m staying where I’m at, with Len. And if he wants to come around the labs he can.”

Everyone was silent. Then Caitlin walked over to him. “We could always use another cold themed ex-villain. Welcome.” She held out her fist and Len rolled his eyes but fist bumped her. “If anyone has a problem with that then I suggest they get over it.”

“Welcome aboard mate,” Julian said coming over to them. 

Cisco didn’t say anything but he went and stood beside Barry. 

“IF BA says he’s cool, he’s cool,” HR said strutting over as well with Tracy in tow. Joe, Iris, and Eddie didn’t move. 

That seemed to settle it. Len hung out at the labs more and when he was feeling the urge he would go out with Barry to defend Central City. Iris and Eddie eventually came around but they didn’t seem completely comfortable with it. Joe seemed to be under the assumption that if he ignored it, it would go away. 

It didn’t. Len and Barry were officially dating. They stood together in and out of costumes at whatever came their way.

**Author's Note:**

> And they all lived happily ever after, because I say so. Please leave comments and kudos! Thanks for reading!


End file.
